Game table with projectors



March 19, 1963 J D cco 3,082,003

GAME TABLE WITH PROJECTORS Filed Dec. 1. 1959 2 Sheets-Sheefl J 0 McConaf/ry 1N VEN TOR.

Mm BY ym/0y March 19, 1963 J D cou y 3,082,003

GAME TABLE WITH PROJECTQRS Filed I Jec. 1, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 I I G3 F J D McCona/hy INVENTOR.

BY m 25% United States Patent 3,082,003 GAME TABLE WITH PROJECTORS J D McConathy, New Orleans, La. Filed Dec. 1, 1959, Ser. No. 856,499 3 Claims. (Cl. 273126) The present invention generally relates to a game table and more particularly to such a table having a projector at each end thereof with the projector and the associated game table having a novel structural arrangement for more effectively projecting a disk-like projectile towards a group of target projectiles for causing the target projectiles or disk-like elements to be driven into a pocket.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a game table having pockets adjacent each end thereof and a plurality of disks mounted thereon for sliding movement together with projectors for projecting disks for driving the plurality of disks into a pocket.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a game table having a novel projector thereon which is simple in construction, easy to use, well adapted for playing many games and generally inexpensive to manutactu're.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully here-,

inafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the game table with the projectors mounted thereon;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged plan view of one of the projectors;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal, vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 3--3 of FIGURE 2 illustrating further structural details of the projectors;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the game =table;

"FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal, vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 55 of FIGURE 4 illustrating the structural details of the game table;

FIGURE 6 is a transverse, vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 6-6 of FIGURE 4 illustrating further structural details of the game table;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of one of the two 'members which rotatably retain. the projectors; and

lFIGURE 8 is a perspective view of one of the projecties.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral IOgenera-lly designates the game table of the present invention which includes an enlarged rectangular table top or panel 12 having a depending supporting leg 14 adjacent each corner and upwardly extending side walls 16 and end walls 18 with the walls 16 and 18 delfining a peripheral barrier for the panel 12 which forms the actual playing area for a shooting disk or disks such as the disk designated by the numeral 20 and illustrated in FIGURE 8. '12 there is provided a plurality of disks 20' which have numerical indicia thereon and which may 'be driven into one of four pockets 22 formed in the end walls of the game table.

"Each of the pockets 22 is defined by an upwardly opening receptacle 24 which is in communication with a horizontal slot 26 formed by the adjacent but spaced end edges of end members 28 and 30. Thus, as the disks 20 are engaged by a projected disk which isunmarked and designated by the numeral 32, the numbered Disposed centrally on the playing area 7 3,032,003 Patented Mar. 19, 1963 disks 20 are driven into the pockets 22 and register as a score in any suitable manner.

The legs 14 may be secured in rigid position in any suitable manner and the panel 12 and peripheral wall 16 may be secured together in any suitable manner while the end members 28 and 30 are mounted against the end wall 18 and retained in this position by any suitable fastening means, adhesive or the like.

The inner end of each of the end members 30 is arcuate as indicated by the numeral 34 and is provided with a recess 36 extending upwardly from the lower surface thereof but terminating generally at the vertical center of the arcuate inner edge of the end members 30.

The oppositely facing arcuate edges 34 form a hearing for supporting a projector generally designated by the numeral 38 which includes a lower circular plate 40 and an upper circular plate 42. The lower circular plate 40 has a diameter slightly greater than the upper circular plate ,42 and the peripheral edge of the lower circular plate 40 is received within the recess 36 while the arcuate edge 34 engages the periphery of the circular plate 42. Thus, the plates 40 and 42 are supported for rotational movement in such a manner that the projector may be rotated about a vertical axis substantially at the center of the circular plates 40 and 42.

The lower plate '40 is provided with a slot 44 and the upper plate 42 is provided with a slot 46 and the slot 44 is provided with a slidable plunger 48 mounted therein with the plunger having a raised portion 50 received within the slot 46 and an upwardly extending U-sha-ped handle 52 which opens inwardly or horizontally towards the center of the game table. Extending diametrically across behind the handle 52 is a coil spring 54 which has the ends thereof anchored by anchor fasteners 56. Thus, as the handle 52 and corresponding plunger 48 move rearwardly for tensioning the coil spring 54, the coil spring 54 will project the plunger 48 rapidly forwardly when the handle 52 is released.

The pocket 52 is of a suflicient size to receive the projectiles 20 and the side edges of the entrance to the pockets are inclined in a manner that the pockets generally face the center of the gameboard of panel 12. The side edges or end edges 26 are parallel to each other but are inclined in relation to the longitudinal axis of the panel and are inclined inwardly towards the center of the panel. Also, the inneredges of the end members 28 and 30 are inclined in such a manner that they have the widest portion at the outer end thereof so that any disk engaging the surface will rebound towards the center of the gameboard or panel 12.

The upper and lower rotatable plates designated by the numerals 4t) and 42 may actually be a single piece plate in which the upper circular portion is defined by a smaller diameter than the lower circular portion. Also, the lower enlarged dimeter portion 40 is provided with the groove 44 which extends diametrically of and communicates with a portion of the periphery thereof whereby the inner end of the plunger 48 will project beyond the disk 49 be fore the upwardly extending portion of the plunger will engage the inner edge of the slot 46 which elfectively stops the plunger thereby causing the plunger 48 to project the projectile 32 in an obvious manner.

With this structure, the projector may be rotated about generally a vertical axis defined by the center of the arcuate surfaces 34 and 36. An outwardly extending handle 58 is provided which is integral with the lower circular portion 40 and projects radially therefrom whereby the entire projectile may be turned about its vertical axis for discharging the projectile 32 in any desired path along the surface of the panel 12 for causing one of the projectiles 20 to be driven into a pocket 22. The sim- 3 plicity of the structure permits the device to be readily constructed of wood or similar materials thereby enabling the device to be relatively inexpensively manufactured.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes Will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A game table comprising an enlarged panel having an upstanding peripheral wall, a plurality of disks slidable on the panel, pockets formed in opposite ends of said panel for receiving the disks when they are projected into the pockets, said wall having recesses communicating the pockets with the top surface of the panel, and a disk projector mounted at each end of the panel for projecting disks towards the other end of the game table, said disk projector including a generally circular plate, means rotatably mounting the circular plate on said panel, a plunger diametrically slidably mounted on the plate and including a portion projecting beyond the periphery of the plate for engagement with a disk for projecting the disk, and spring means interconnecting the plate and the plunger for urging the plunger outwardly of the plate for engagement with a disk, said plunger being provided with an upwardly extending U-shaped handle with the U-shaped handle opening towards the center of the game table, said circular plate being provided with an undercut peripheral portion along the bottom edge thereof, end members forming the end portion of said wall and having undercut arcuate facing edges engaging the periphery of the rotatable plate and forming means for retaining the rotatable plate in position while permitting rotation thereof, said plunger being disposed in a diametric groove in the circular plate with the groove communicating with the bottom thereof, said plate having a slot receiving the handle, said spring means including a coil spring extending across the slot in the path of movement of the handle with the ends of the spring anchored to the plate whereby retraction of the handle will tension the spring thereby resiliently urging the plunger forwardly for projecting a disk.

2. An amusement device comprising an enlarged generally rectangular table top forming a playing surface for movement of disks thereon, upstanding end walls and side walls forming a barrier peripherally of the table top, each end wall having a pair of horizontal slots extending longitudinally into the end wall, a receptacle disposed below each of the slots for receiving disks projected into the slots, said end walls having inner edge surfaces inclined toward the center and longitudinally outwardly of the center of the table top, each end wall being divided into two sections by a central open area defined by arcuate end edges, said arcuate end edges of the sections being undercut; a circular plate rotatably received between the arcuate end portions of the sections and having a peripheral projection at the lower edge thereof for engagement in the undercut portions of the end wall sections thereby rotatably mounting the plate between the arcuate end portions of the sections whereby the arcuate structure retains the plate in position, said plate having a diametric slot therein, said plate having a diametric groove underlying the slot, a longitudinal plunger disposed in the groove, an upstanding handle on the plunger extending upwardly through the slot forming a handle for retracting the plunger and forming limit means for the movement of the plunger, a transverse coil spring mounted on the top surface of said plate in transverse relation to the slot and engaging the outer surface of the handle whereby the plunger will be moved towards the center of the table top for projecting a disk when the inner end of the plunger is projected outwardly from the rotatable plate and where by the handle for the plunger will not project outwardly from the table top surface but only project upwardly from the rotatable plate.

3. In an amusement device, a disc projector comprising a circular plate adapted to be rotatably received between arcuate end edges of end wall portions of a table, said plate having a diamet-ric slot therein and a diametric groove underlying the slot, said groove extending com pletely diametrically of the plate with the slot extending partially diametrically of the plate, a plunger longitudinally slidab-ly disposed in the groove, an upstanding handle on the plunger extending upwardly through the slot thus forming a handle for retracting the plunger and forming means for limiting the movement of the plunger in relation to the plate, a transverse coil spring having the ends thereof attached to the top surface of the plate and the central portion of the spring extending transversely of the slot and freely engaging one surface of the handle for maintaining the handle in one end of the slot but enabling the handle to be moved towards the other end of the slot while tensioning the spring and said tensioned spring when released causing the handle and plunger to be moved in relation to the plate whereby the end of the plunger will extend beyond the plate for engaging a disc, said handle including a portion extending substantially parallel to the top of the circular plate for providing a compact arrangement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,558,088 Hanley Oct. 20, 1925 2,062,204 Blackmore Nov. 24, 1936 2,225,241 Stearns Dec. 17, 1940 2,642,058 Murphy June 16 1953 2,720,398 Andrews et al. Oct. 11, 1955 2,841,398 Conner July 1, 1958 2,967,713 Kumpman Jan. 10, 1961 

1. A GAME TABLE COMPRISING AN ENLARGED PANEL HAVING AN UPSTANDING PERIPHERAL WALL, A PLURALITY OF DISKS SLIDABLE ON THE PANEL, POCKETS FORMED IN OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID PANEL FOR RECEIVING THE DISKS WHEN THEY ARE PROJECTED INTO THE POCKETS, SAID WALL HAVING RECESSES COMMUNICATING THE POCKETS WITH THE TOP SURFACE OF THE PANEL, AND A DISK PROJECTOR MOUNTED AT EACH END OF THE PANEL FOR PROJECTING DISKS TOWARDS THE OTHER END OF THE GAME TABLE, SAID DISK PROJECTOR INCLUDING A GENERALLY CIRCULAR PLATE, MEANS ROTATABLY MOUNTING THE CIRCULAR PLATE ON SAID PANEL, A PLUNGER DIAMETRICALLY SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON THE PLATE AND INCLUDING A PORTION PROJECTING BEYOND THE PERIPHERY OF THE PLATE FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH A DISK FOR PROJECTING THE DISK, AND SPRING MEANS INTERCONNECTING THE PLATE AND THE PLUNGER FOR URGING THE PLUNGER OUTWARDLY OF THE PLATE FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH A DISK, SAID PLUNGER BEING PROVIDED WITH AN UPWARDLY EXTENDING U-SHAPED HANDLE WITH THE U-SHAPED HANDLE OPENING TOWARDS THE CENTER OF THE GAME TABLE, SAID CIRCULAR PLATE BEING PROVIDED WITH AN UNDERCUT PERIPHERAL PORTION ALONG THE BOTTOM EDGE THEREOF, END MEMBERS FORMING THE END PORTION OF SAID WALL AND HAVING UNDERCUT ARCUATE FACING EDGES ENGAGING THE PERIPHERY OF THE ROTATABLE PLATE AND FORMING MEANS FOR RETAINING THE ROTATABLE PLATE IN POSITION WHILE PERMITTING ROTATION THEREOF, SAID PLUNGER BEING DISPOSED IN A DIAMETRIC GROOVE IN THE CIRCULAR PLATE WITH THE GROOVE COMMUNICATING WITH THE BOTTOM THEREOF, SAID PLATE HAVING A SLOT RECEIVING THE HANDLE, SAID SPRING MEANS INCLUDING A COIL SPRING EXTENDING ACROSS THE SLOT IN THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF THE HANDLE WITH THE ENDS OF THE SPRING ANCHORED TO THE PLATE WHEREBY RETRACTION OF THE HANDLE WILL TENSION THE SPRING THEREBY RESILIENTLY URGING THE PLUNGER FORWARDLY FOR PROJECTING A DISK. 